#HisDollar

I want to have a candid conversation about my crowdfunding experience. For those new to this marketing strategy, a creator puts an idea on a platform, like Kickstarter, and if people like it, they "back" it and pledge money to the campaign in return for a reward, usually a pre-order of whatever is being produced with some added perks. It is a great system - in theory.

As a composer, my project was naturally in the music category, wanting to produce an album of my 17-piece work on the life of Christ called, The Ministry of Christ. I did my homework, spent months researching to make videos and the presentation that were appealing and "just right."

Launch came...and went...and very few backers came for this project. What I got most of was emails from "companies" wanting to help me market my campaign. Untold hours of research in this arena made me realize that 90% of these people are scams, the other 10% are outrageously priced. Just look up their "whois" registration for their website, and you will find that most of the 90% have had their sites running for less than 2 months, and the "project success stories" they tout are fake. So are their references. So are they. Unscrupulous vultures preying on people who are as vulnerable as they come.

What disturbed me even more, however, was the fact that some projects funded right away - almost immediately. What were they selling? Erotica. Filth being peddled as "art." An occasional ingenious tech gadget also made the cut, but most were the other variety. It made me sick to my stomach. I wondered where the people were who would take a stand for good. Obviously not on Kickstarter. Then it struck me.

I was reminded of a scene from the movie, "Miracle on 34th Street" where the judge concludes his case by holding up a one dollar bill and says that if "In God We Trust" is good enough for the US Treasury, it is good enough for him. It's good enough for me, too.

It dawned on me that if every person who was sick to death of being surrounded by a sea of filth pledged just $1, we could make quite a statement. What if it ended up that the biggest campaign ever on Kickstarter were an album about the life of Christ. Now, that would be a statement.

The Lord is sending down all forms of wholesome and uplifting art at an accelerated rate right now because good people need something to hold on to in a world that is rapidly deteriorating. But now more than ever, those who are creating this art are suffering from the "starving artist" syndrome. Their works, their websites, and their lives get lost in a sea of internet filth.

Let's do something about it. Help me send a message that we all still very much care about the quality and content of art in today's world, and more importantly, we care about the Giver of the art. We care about Christ and His message of hope. If you'd like to join me, it's just $1 - #His Dollar. I hope to see you at The Dollar Project, and bring a friend. Thanks for listening.